Mickey Bernard

Mickey Bernard (1845-) was a homeless resident of Valentine, Nebraska. He claimed to have been a Union Army sergeant who lost his left arm in the American Civil War, and he often begged passers-by for money because he "fought for them"; in reality, he was just a lonely man who only wanted attention. He lived a sad life, accidentally killing his pet puppy by sleeping on it, and failing almost every time to elicit attention. In 1899, however, Arthur Morgan decided to talk to him, and he saw him multiple times while passing through town, with Mickey commenting on how he was grateful that someone would finally talk to him, and expressing his admiration for Arthur. In 1907, John Marston talked to Bernard, who wondered where Arthur went, and Marston broke the news to him that Arthur had died of tuberculosis eight years before, causing Bernard to weep.